Medicine-dispenser



E. C. TROWBRIDGE.

MEDICINE DISPENSER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. I. I9l8 Patented Aug. 19, 1919.

- UNITED STAT S PATENT OFFICE,

ERNEST C. TROWBRIDG'E, 0F GLOUCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

MEDiCINE-DISPENSER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be-it known that I, ERNEST C. TROW- \BRIDGE, a citizen of the UnitedStates,"-residing at Gloucester, in the county of "Essex and State ofMassachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Medicine-Dispensers, of which the following is a specification.

. Tl'lixiIiVGIltiOIl relates to an improved droppen for collod'on, iodinor any other medicated solution or external or internal use, the objectof the invention being to provide a dropper which constitutes a stopperfor a bottle-and which can be used to '"measure the medicated solutiondrop by drop, and which can be used either for measuring a certainnumber of drops of the medicated solution or which can be used forapplying the medicated solution externally to any portion ofp-the body.

- The ordinary medicine dropper is .objectionable because when it isdesired to measure a certain number of drops of medicated solution itrequires a great deal of practice in order to obtain the right nllmberof-drops and not to exceed such number, thatlis, if it is desired toobtain ten drops a stream gof the medicine may flow from the dropperinstead of a certain numberof separatedrops, and thusthe amount ofmedicated {solution measured is rendered inaccurate. With the v improvedmedicine dropper illustrating the same attached to a bottle.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the medicine dropper removed from thebottle, a part of the same being broken away and shown in section.

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation showing a modified form of the lower endof the v dropper.

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation of a modi- 4 fied form of tube.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of thedrawings.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug, 19, 1919,

Application filed April 1, 1918. Serial No. 225,856.

In the drawings 5 is a bottle having a neck portion 6 with an annulargroove 7 therein. 8 is the dropper consisting of a tube 9 with acollapsible bulb 10 attached to one end thereof, the tube having aflange 11 at its upper end which is embedded in the collapsible bulb 10.Said tube is surrounded for a portion of its length,-adjacent to theupper end thereof, by a sleeve 12, preferably formed of rubber andintegral with the collapsible bulb, 10, said sleeve forming a around theupper portion of the bottle and the lower portion of the flange 13 tomake a water-tight joint between the stopper and the bottle.

The closure of the bottle consists, therefore, of the sleeve 12, theflange 13 and the collapsible bulb 10. The tube 9' terminates at itslower end in an enlarged portion 15 which contains a chamber 16 in whichis inclosed a portion of a conveyer 17.

In-Figs. 1 and 2 this conveyer consists of a piece of absorbent materialforced into the chamber 15 and having a pad 18 projecting beyond thelower end of the tube 9.

In Fig. 3 a modified form of the invention is illustrated in which theconveyer 17 consists of a brush, preferably of camels hair andprojecting beyond the lower end of the tube 9 'toform a brush portion19.

In use, the strip 14 is removed from the bottle and the closure iswithdrawn from the bottle, together with the tube 9. The bulb.

10 is collapsed by pressure of the finger and thumb of the user. Thetube is then inserted in the bottle until the lower end of the tubeenters the medicated solution 20. The pressure upon the collapsible bulbis then released and the medicated solution enters the tube 9 throughthe conveyer 17, as illustrated in Fig. 2. Then, if the device is usedto apply the medicated solution extion of the body which it is desiredto treat and asuflicient pressure is exerted upon the collapsible bulb10 to force the medicated solution through the conveyer 17 into the padportion 18. When enough of the solution has, however, been applied, thepresternally, the pad 18 is'rubbed over the porsure upon the bulb 10 isreleasedand the medicated solution is then drawn back into the tubeby-reason of the partial vacuum in said tube caused by the release ofthe collapsible bulb.

When it is desired to use the device as a dropper the bulb 10 iscompressed until the medicated solution is forced drop by drop throughthe conveyer 17 and off the end of the pad 18 or of the brush 19, as thecase may be. i

In Fig. 4 a modified form of the tube 20' for the dropper is illustratedin which the walls 21 at theupper end of the tube are thicker than thewalls 22 at the lower end of the tube. The object of this constructionis to give additional strength to the tube at the upper portion thereof,as tubes of this character are very often broken at the upper end wherethe collapsible bulb is attached to them on account of the strain towhich they are subjected in use.

While I have described my invention as being particularly adapted forapplying medicated solutions 'externallyto any portion of the body, itis evident that without departing from the spirit of my invention theinvention may be utilized for other purposes, such, for example, as forapplying li uid blacking to boots and shoes.

Iaving thus described my invention, what I claim and desire by LettersPatent to secure is: p

1. A medicine dispenser having, in combination, a tube, a closure for abottle attached to one end of said tube, said closure consisting of acolla sible bulb and a sleeve integral therewit constituting a stopperand adapted to project into and fit the neck of a bottle and a wad ofabsorbent material inserted in the opposite end of said tube.

2. A medicine dispenser having, in combination, a tube, a closure for abottle attached to one end of said tube, said closure consisting of acollapsible bulb, a SIGGXG integral therewith constituting a stopper andadapted to project into and fit the neck of a bottle and a flangeintegral with said sleeve and encircling the outside of the neck of saidbottle.

3. In combination, a bottle having a neck, said neck being provided withan annular groove, a tube, a closure consisting of a collapsible bulb, asleeve fitting said tube and constituting a stopper for said bottle anda flange thereon encircling the neck of said bottle and projecting intosaid annular groove.

4. In combination, a bottle having a neck, a tube, a closure consistingof a collapsible bulb, a sleeve on said bulb fitting said tube andconstituting a stopper for said bottle, a flange thereon encircling theneck of said bottle and a strip of material encircling said closure andbottle at the juncture of said flange with said bottle.

5. A medicine dispenser having, in combination, a tube, a closure for abottle attached to one end of said tube, said closure consisting of acollapsible bulb and a sleeve integral therewith constituting a stopperand adapted to project into and fit the neck of a bottle, and a piece ofabsorbent material attached to the opposite end of said tube.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

ERNEST O. TROWBRIDGE.

Witnesses:

EVERETT E. FRANCIS, THOMAS F. LYNN.

